What do you think?
Rate this book
Vincent Swan #3
The Burning Boy
THERE ARE SOME MURDERS
THAT NO-ONE WANTS TO SOLVE
The murder of an off-duty garda in Phoenix Park should have brought down the full power of the Dublin police force. But Keiran Lynch was a difficult man, and his body was found in a notorious gay cruising ground. Even as the press revels in the scandal, some of the Murder Squad are reluctant to investigate.
Only Detectives Vincent Swan and Gina Considine are willing to search out the difficult truth, walking the streets of nighttime Dublin to find Kieran Lynch's lovers and friends. But Gina has her own secret that means she must withhold vital evidence. When a fire rips through Temple Bar and another man is killed, she must decide what price she is willing to pay to find a murderer.
A beautiful and haunting mystery, perfect for readers of Val McDermid, Denise Mina, Tana French and Adrian McKinty.
THAT NO-ONE WANTS TO SOLVE
The murder of an off-duty garda in Phoenix Park should have brought down the full power of the Dublin police force. But Keiran Lynch was a difficult man, and his body was found in a notorious gay cruising ground. Even as the press revels in the scandal, some of the Murder Squad are reluctant to investigate.
Only Detectives Vincent Swan and Gina Considine are willing to search out the difficult truth, walking the streets of nighttime Dublin to find Kieran Lynch's lovers and friends. But Gina has her own secret that means she must withhold vital evidence. When a fire rips through Temple Bar and another man is killed, she must decide what price she is willing to pay to find a murderer.
A beautiful and haunting mystery, perfect for readers of Val McDermid, Denise Mina, Tana French and Adrian McKinty.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2022
9 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Nicola White
3 books15 followersNicola White grew up in Ireland and New York and graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. She lived in London and Belfast before moving to Glasgow to work as a contemporary art curator, moving on to produce arts documentaries for BBC radio and television.
In 2008 she won the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writer Award, and began to publish short stories in a range of journals, anthologies and for broadcast on Radio 4. In 2012 she was Leverhulme Writer in Residence at Edinburgh University.
Her novel, In the Rosary Garden, won the Dundee International Book prize and was shortlisted for the 2014 Deanston (now McIlvanny) Prize. It was selected as one of the four best debuts by Val McDermid ‘New Blood’ panel at the Harrogate crime festival and was one of the Glasgow Herald’s 2014 ‘books of the year’.
She publishes non-fiction with The Dublin Review and has contributed essays to numerous visual art publications, such as the National Galleries of Scotland’s 2014 ‘Generation Reader’.
Nicola currently splits her time between Glasgow and the Highlands, which means she lives mostly on the A9.
In 2008 she won the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writer Award, and began to publish short stories in a range of journals, anthologies and for broadcast on Radio 4. In 2012 she was Leverhulme Writer in Residence at Edinburgh University.
Her novel, In the Rosary Garden, won the Dundee International Book prize and was shortlisted for the 2014 Deanston (now McIlvanny) Prize. It was selected as one of the four best debuts by Val McDermid ‘New Blood’ panel at the Harrogate crime festival and was one of the Glasgow Herald’s 2014 ‘books of the year’.
She publishes non-fiction with The Dublin Review and has contributed essays to numerous visual art publications, such as the National Galleries of Scotland’s 2014 ‘Generation Reader’.
Nicola currently splits her time between Glasgow and the Highlands, which means she lives mostly on the A9.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 17, 2022
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
A man’s badly beaten body is found barely alive in a Dublin park. He’s hanging onto life by a thread and that thread is starting to fray. He’s whisked to hospital where he’s identified as Kieran Lynch, a Garda in the local force. Instead of the immediate outcry you would expect from the Garda officers at one of their own nearly being killed, all that surfaces is indifference at the attack. Because Kieran’s badly beaten body was found in a notorious gay hook-up spot and no one, neither his friends nor his colleagues, want to be associated with him. Not even when the hunt for Kieran’s attacker turns into a hunt for his killer. Which means it’s down to Detective Vincent Swan and Detective Gina Considine to fight for their fallen colleague and find out who killed Kieran, and why…
Swan and Considine are a marvellous pairing and I enjoyed spending time with them once again. Both characters have their own secrets and hidden heartache to contend with in The Burning Boy which I felt helped me get to know them better. Coming into this third book I was aware of Swan’s situation, which the author builds on extremely well – fleshing out Swan’s loneliness until my heart broke a little for him – but I was fascinated to find out more about Gina Considine. I don’t feel I really got to know what made her tick in the second book, The Rosary Garden, so I was delighted to discover she plays a key role in this latest instalment.
I love White’s Dublin of the 1980s. It’s funny because I forgot the series is set in the past and I was part way through the book before some key word or phrase reminded me that this isn’t contemporary crime fiction at all. But a beautifully written, vivid historical mystery. The plotline centres around the gay scene in Dublin in the mid-80s. A time when it was illegal to be homosexual, although the Garda – in terms of the book at least – turned a blind eye. There’s tension between the Garda and the gay community throughout the novel. Many of the views are of the time but it all adds up to a very enjoyable reading experience.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Burning Boy is a well-written and intriguing mystery. The pace can be a little slow at times but there is plenty for the reader to get their teeth into, which I appreciated. I feel as though I’m starting to really get to know these characters now so I hope there is more to come (although only time will tell). I loved the ending of this book. It was so unexpected and so utterly devastating – my jaw was on the floor. All in all, another well plotted, well written mystery from a talented author. Recommended.
A man’s badly beaten body is found barely alive in a Dublin park. He’s hanging onto life by a thread and that thread is starting to fray. He’s whisked to hospital where he’s identified as Kieran Lynch, a Garda in the local force. Instead of the immediate outcry you would expect from the Garda officers at one of their own nearly being killed, all that surfaces is indifference at the attack. Because Kieran’s badly beaten body was found in a notorious gay hook-up spot and no one, neither his friends nor his colleagues, want to be associated with him. Not even when the hunt for Kieran’s attacker turns into a hunt for his killer. Which means it’s down to Detective Vincent Swan and Detective Gina Considine to fight for their fallen colleague and find out who killed Kieran, and why…
Swan and Considine are a marvellous pairing and I enjoyed spending time with them once again. Both characters have their own secrets and hidden heartache to contend with in The Burning Boy which I felt helped me get to know them better. Coming into this third book I was aware of Swan’s situation, which the author builds on extremely well – fleshing out Swan’s loneliness until my heart broke a little for him – but I was fascinated to find out more about Gina Considine. I don’t feel I really got to know what made her tick in the second book, The Rosary Garden, so I was delighted to discover she plays a key role in this latest instalment.
I love White’s Dublin of the 1980s. It’s funny because I forgot the series is set in the past and I was part way through the book before some key word or phrase reminded me that this isn’t contemporary crime fiction at all. But a beautifully written, vivid historical mystery. The plotline centres around the gay scene in Dublin in the mid-80s. A time when it was illegal to be homosexual, although the Garda – in terms of the book at least – turned a blind eye. There’s tension between the Garda and the gay community throughout the novel. Many of the views are of the time but it all adds up to a very enjoyable reading experience.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Burning Boy is a well-written and intriguing mystery. The pace can be a little slow at times but there is plenty for the reader to get their teeth into, which I appreciated. I feel as though I’m starting to really get to know these characters now so I hope there is more to come (although only time will tell). I loved the ending of this book. It was so unexpected and so utterly devastating – my jaw was on the floor. All in all, another well plotted, well written mystery from a talented author. Recommended.
February 24, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall I’ll give this book 3 stars.
The delivery of two interesting characters at the centre of this novel - Considine and Swan gives this novel a starting point of 5 stars. Both are detectives with the Dublin police force and each have complex personal lives with secrets and heartache but there’s a warmth and a few awkward interactions between them which I enjoyed reading.
However, it took me half of February to read the first 16 chapters….to the point I asked my partner if he’d finish the book for me and just fill me in as to what had happened. The second third of the book looked promising, the tension building and I started reading with gusto. A second murder , a fire , more analysis of the main characters and ……… that was it. A rapid deflation.
A confusing and messy end.
Disappointing (Lose 3 stars for plot).
It was like a plate of spaghetti served with a heap of mundane, in short I struggled to keep track of all the threads and hold onto storylines that didn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t guess the ending as I’d lost the plot.
Finally , the book gains a star for the throwback observations of a dark and atmospheric Dublin in the Eighties . Police officers trying to find a landline or phone box to contact the station, paying by cheque, ashtrays on cafe tables, index cards and overt homophobia. No internet or electronic filing …my god how did the police ever cope? All that trawling through archives. A brilliant reminder of how easy info is to obtain today. This one Star very much deserved.
Therefore 5-3+1= 3 stars.
Perhaps…that’s it…the Eighties was a mess as we had no way of immediate communication, therefore the plot line was spot on.
The delivery of two interesting characters at the centre of this novel - Considine and Swan gives this novel a starting point of 5 stars. Both are detectives with the Dublin police force and each have complex personal lives with secrets and heartache but there’s a warmth and a few awkward interactions between them which I enjoyed reading.
However, it took me half of February to read the first 16 chapters….to the point I asked my partner if he’d finish the book for me and just fill me in as to what had happened. The second third of the book looked promising, the tension building and I started reading with gusto. A second murder , a fire , more analysis of the main characters and ……… that was it. A rapid deflation.
A confusing and messy end.
Disappointing (Lose 3 stars for plot).
It was like a plate of spaghetti served with a heap of mundane, in short I struggled to keep track of all the threads and hold onto storylines that didn’t go anywhere. I couldn’t guess the ending as I’d lost the plot.
Finally , the book gains a star for the throwback observations of a dark and atmospheric Dublin in the Eighties . Police officers trying to find a landline or phone box to contact the station, paying by cheque, ashtrays on cafe tables, index cards and overt homophobia. No internet or electronic filing …my god how did the police ever cope? All that trawling through archives. A brilliant reminder of how easy info is to obtain today. This one Star very much deserved.
Therefore 5-3+1= 3 stars.
Perhaps…that’s it…the Eighties was a mess as we had no way of immediate communication, therefore the plot line was spot on.
April 1, 2022
I hadn't actually realised this was the third book in a series. Overall it reads okay as a standalone, my only issue was I didn't really feel I got to know much about Gina Considine who is a detective that works along Vincent Swan. I felt I got to know much more about Swan so felt more of a connection.
The story is set in 1986 in Dublin. How the author writes the character's perceptions around that time to do with homosexuality felt authentic. The case is an interesting one with one of their own officers being found dead in an area that that was very much not expected for him to be in. I have to admit it didn't really feel like much was happening through the first half of the story although Swan and Considine seemed to be making headway. Things felt like they ramped up a bit more from this point.
The author is new to me. Am not sure if I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the other books in the series prior to this one. Over all it was an okay read but didn't feel it was as compelling as other books in this genre.
My thanks to Viper Boks for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story is set in 1986 in Dublin. How the author writes the character's perceptions around that time to do with homosexuality felt authentic. The case is an interesting one with one of their own officers being found dead in an area that that was very much not expected for him to be in. I have to admit it didn't really feel like much was happening through the first half of the story although Swan and Considine seemed to be making headway. Things felt like they ramped up a bit more from this point.
The author is new to me. Am not sure if I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the other books in the series prior to this one. Over all it was an okay read but didn't feel it was as compelling as other books in this genre.
My thanks to Viper Boks for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
February 1, 2022
Police procedural set in Dublin in the 1980s, involving a homophobic murder of a policeman, stolen artwork, gangland wheeler dealing, and the hugely dysfunctional lives of our two Detective Inspectors - Vincent Swan and Gina Considine. It was all a bit too much to be honest with lots of hanging plot threads, several of which weren't cleared up at the end of the book, and a huge amount of implausible action crammed into a few hours. There was also a second murder, which wasn't actually related to the first in any way other than it was also related to homophobia. In the end I was confused by the relationship between several of the characters, and puzzled as to the ending - the plot lines sort of petered out. The novel was recommended by The Times Crime Fiction newsletter, but I came away from it a bit disappointed.
April 3, 2024
My sister got me this book for my birthday, and I was excited to read it. It sounded interesting. I don’t think either of use realised it was the third in a series, but reviews said it can be read as a standalone. Maybe that is a mistake, as unfortunately; I just couldn’t care less about these characters. Perhaps they are better fleshed out in the previous two? I don’t know, but I found this book a chore to get through, and in the end am glad I am done with it.
I will said, I don’t read a lot of crime fiction. My go to is horror, so thriller and crime aren’t too much of a leap, but maybe that’s it; just wasn’t horrific enough for me. The homophonic attack didn’t move me either, and as a gay man, I should be pretty easy to get a reaction out of me. Alas, it did not.
I will said, I don’t read a lot of crime fiction. My go to is horror, so thriller and crime aren’t too much of a leap, but maybe that’s it; just wasn’t horrific enough for me. The homophonic attack didn’t move me either, and as a gay man, I should be pretty easy to get a reaction out of me. Alas, it did not.
March 30, 2025
I’ve really enjoyed Nicola White’s mysteries, and though I enjoyed most of this, this was the weekest in the Swan series. The story builds and builds and then nothing. A very confusing ending. The reader is cheated out of experiencing the big revelation and instead, everything is summarized. A bit of a let down.
May 5, 2025
I think crime fiction just might not be for me. Any moments of intrigue or emotionality in this were fleeting. For a genre that is supposed to hinge on tension, there was a shocking lack of it throughout this whole book. The themes would have brought this up to a 3 star read, but I think they got kind of lost in an otherwise boring plot.
June 11, 2023
oh, my god. okay. this is definitely my favourite of the 3 (as of writing this) novels in this series, i am already looking forward to rereading it. i love gina so much, and this almost singlehandedly redeemed swan for me; i wasn't a hundred percent on him but this humanized him a lot, and i actually really enjoyed his character in this.
also, goddddd these parts:
i mean........... c'mon. C'mon......
edit: THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES? you can't do this to me....
also, goddddd these parts:
i mean........... c'mon. C'mon......
edit: THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES? you can't do this to me....
February 16, 2022
I enjoyed this series.
August 24, 2022
Absolutely brilliant.
July 23, 2024
Random read that I got from my mum. Didn’t expect much but was a fun detective novel. Enjoyed the setting in the 80s Dublin gay scene!
August 17, 2024
Interesting characters. Didn't realise it was the third in a series. Decent wee standalone read. But the finale was a bit lacklustre. Did enjoy it though.
December 15, 2024
I enjoyed this book. At times engrossing and well paced, however I found the ended a let down. Almost like the rushed conclusion on the last 10 minutes of an exam.
January 11, 2025
Read well as a standalone as I wasn’t aware of it being the third part if a series.
February 8, 2025
Good - not very gripping but I enjoyed the writing style. The actual murder plot could be better constructed. I read this without the first two and didn't feel like I'd missed anything.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews